Quantitative x-ray imaging – towards material-specific numbers from images

Conventional X-ray imaging has relied on attenuation contrast for more than a century, limiting the
visualization and characterization of soft tissues. Phase-contrast and dark-field X-ray imaging exploit X-
ray refraction and small-angle scattering to provide complementary information, offering improved soft-
tissue contrast and sensitivity to microstructural features beyond the detector resolution limit. Our
research focuses on the development of quantitative phase-contrast and dark-field imaging methods for
both synchrotron and laboratory-based systems, including novel Talbot-array and interferometric
approaches, spectral dark-field characterization, and quantitative phase retrieval, enabling the
extraction of material-specific information at high spatial resolution.

Recent advances span fundamental developments in quantitative synchrotron imaging and clinically
relevant applications in breast imaging. Phase-contrast mammography and breast CT have
demonstrated promising potential to improve visualization and characterization of breast lesions,
including ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), while nanoscale phase-contrast and dark-field techniques
offer new opportunities for quantitative tissue assessment and biomarker development. This
presentation will highlight recent methodological and translational advances, illustrating the path from
cutting-edge X-ray imaging physics toward next-generation imaging tools in biomedical applications

References
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Hellerhoff K. et al. Medical Physics, (2025)
John D. et al. Advanced Science, (2026)
Wirtensohn S. et al. Light: Science & Applications, (2026)